1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a food bar fortified with protein and vitamins.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, it has been virtually impossible to maintain high levels of heat sensitive vitamins in cooked products. The reason for this is obvious. The cooking temperatures required for cooking the product normally destroy or render virtually ineffective vitamins which are heat sensitive. Coatings for cooked food products normally consist of fat, sugar, and milk solids with possibly an emulsifier added along with the flavoring agent. Normally, cooked products which have this type of compound coating added thereto are of inferior quality. The reason for this is that products have a high fat content which turns liquid and is absorbed by the body portion of the product resulting in an unacceptable appearance and mouth feel. In the past, this problem has been minimized by increasing the melting point of the fat or oil. However, a waxy mouthfeel side effect usually limits the melting point of the coating long before the melting point approaches the upper limits of storage temperatures.
Marshmallow, as it is known today, was first shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,569 to E. T. Oakes in 1952. This invention was the first showing of the injection of gas into a marshmallow mix to cause it to puff upon release of gas pressure. Since that time, many patents have issued showing different additions to marshmallows to provide different flavoring and/or other features.
The inclusion of fats in marshmallows is not a new and novel idea. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,012 , a thorough discussion of the inclusion of fat in marshmallow is presented with the fat in this case being cocoa butter fat.
There have been teachings in the past of inclusion of vitamins in marshmallow. Such inclusion of vitamins in marshmallow, however, generally has been undesirable both from a taste standpoint and from a standpoint of destroying the marshmallow character when included therein. When it is considered that marshmallow is a water emulsion and that fats or oils generally tend to break this emulsion, then the inclusion of the carrier substance normally found with vitamins would not be a desirable direction to proceed in the marshmallow industry. Additionally, if one includes any type of other ingredients in marshmallow, it is normally not preferred to add large amounts of fat therein and especially to coat the items with fat.
It has heretofore been unknown to attempt to produce a marshmallow product having included therein a fortified marshmallow base portion with the vitamins added by a particular stable coating on the top of the marshmallow product. The resulting food bar, the product of this invention, is new and unique and has not heretofore been shown or taught by anything in the marshmallow or confection industry.